Milk somatic cell (MSC) count is a measure used widely in the dairy industry for milk quality. Somatic cell count is a measure of the white blood cell concentration in milk—not necessarily all white blood cells are captured by this measure but a majority are, primarily leukocytes.
The importance of MSC count in milk processing relates primarily to the issue of mastitis infection. Mastitis is an infection caused by pathogenic bacteria. One major bacteria species that causes a rise in MSC count is Staphylococcus aureus. 
When a lactating animal is infected, the somatic cell count increases in milk from the animal. An elevated MSC count is a serious issue in milk production. Milk with a high MSC count may needed to be partitioned from a full batch and blended with low MSC count milk to make it allowable for consumption. In worst cases, the milk produced may have to be discarded. Since most automated milking operations milk many animals at once, high MSC count milk from one animal may mix with other animals' milk cause an entire milking run to be contaminated. A further drawback of mastitis infection, even at relatively low levels of infection is that the volume of milk produced by the animal decreases, thereby reducing profitability. Other issues with elevated MSC count in milk include reduced shelf life and adversely altered sensory attributes.
As should be appreciated, avoiding infection and methods to lower MSC count are important to avoid rejection of milk for consumption and to generally ensure the health of an animal.
Arginine is an amino acid. In animals, arginine is classified as a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid. In healthy humans, arginine is seldom needed as a supplement since the body usually produces significant amounts. Despite this, many supplements exist with arginine (the L form predominantly) for human use with purported effects of increasing blood flow supporting muscle growth and supporting muscle recovery.
In non-human animals, research into the effects of L-arginine supplementation is less complete and much of the research completed to date is for mono-gastric animals. As may be appreciated, ruminants such as bovine and ovine species provide a different challenge to mono-gastric animals and active compounds useful for mono-gastric animals do not necessarily show the same efficacy in ruminant animals.
One art document, Al Dabbas 20081 describes administration of arginine to sheep via different routes of administration and measured the subsequent changes in plasma white blood cell counts and changes in white blood cell composition. Al Dabbas showed an increase in white blood cell levels and variations in white blood cell composition, but importantly, Al Dabbas did not use animals during gestation, a time period when many metabolic pathways change or vary from the norm. Al Dabbas also did not measure the effects of a long-term dose, instead only trialling the effects of a one off dose, hence the longevity of the effects were unknown from Al Dabbas. Further, Al Dabbas only measured plasma and not milk, and did not consider somatic cell count. 1 Al-Dabbas, F. M., A. H. Hamra, et al. (2008). “The effect of arginine supplementation on some blood parameters, ovulation rate and concentrations of estrogen and progesterone in female Awassi sheep.” Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 11(20): 2389-2394.
Another paper, Fligger 19972 found results that led away from that of Al Dabbas. In Fligger, non-gestational (and pre-ruminant) calves were administered L-arginine. The resulting antibody production was measured in the animal plasma. The results of Fligger showed a reduction in antibody production, a finding that goes against the results of Al Dabbas. This different result illustrates the incompleteness of research in relation to arginine for animals. 2 Fligger, J. M., C. A. Gibson, et al. (1997). “Arginine Supplementation Increases Weight Gain, Depresses Antibody Production, and Alters Circulating Leukocyte Profiles in Preruminant Calves Without Affecting Plasma Growth Hormone Concentrations.” Journal of Animal Science 75(11): 3019-3025.
As noted above, L-arginine is known as a supplement and has been shown to have an impact on the immune system. The art rarely investigates the effects on ruminants (animals known to have quite different metabolisms to monogastric animals). In addition the prior art is focused on animals outside of gestation and further, the art looks at plasma changes and not changes in milk or MSC count. Treatment of gestational ruminants and the impact on milk from the animal, particularly post parturition, is to the inventor's knowledge not studied in the art nor are the effects obvious given the different physiological factors.
As may be appreciated, it may be advantageous to reduce milk somatic cell count in ruminants or at least to provide the public with a choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the process and product will become apparent from the ensuing description that is given by way of example only.